Why Patrons Might Be The Best Way To Monetize Your Content In 2019

The word patron, in Latin, means Father; hence, a patron of the Arts is one who "begets" and protects the Arts. Patronage has been around forever, predating the Roman Empire. The Chinese are credited with having the first patronage and the first merit systems. Ancient Chinese bought and sold public offices as far back as 243 B.C. Mandarin status, the highest rank of Chinese civil service, required years of preparation and a tough examination.

History also shows that Patronage was practiced as a social institution throughout early modern Europe, probably peeking in importance between the 14th and 17th centuries. Galileo benefited from the patronage of both the Marchese del Monte and the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo II de Medici, in his lifelong career as a mathematician, scientist, and inventor.

Patronage is most commonly associated with artists and the arts in general, but, as with the case of Galileo, it extended to academia and the sciences. Notability and credibility went hand-in-hand, particularly for the scientist. Working under an increasingly prominent noble made one an increasingly credible thinker, or respectable craftsman. (Hence, Galileo sought the patronage of the Grand Duke.) Perhaps the best example of this patron-reputation linkage is Michelangelo, whose patron was the Pope himself (Julius II).

Back then, patronage was not an option. It was the key to social status, and there was an absolute social hierarchy around it. Without a patron, a career and social mobility were impossible.

Imagine where the world would be today without patrons supporting some of the greatest minds and content creators of our time?

Throughout the centuries, the patronage system has allowed for the redistribution of wealth from the business class to the creative class. Or as some may put it, the members of which were often assumed to be starving and in need of such redistribution. The basic idea is that a wealthy individual, family, or business pays the living wages of a playwright, musician or artist (often providing food and shelter) so that person can concentrate solely on their creation. In return, the artist often dedicates their works to their patron. In this way, the business arrangement has the potential to make both parties immortal.

Perhaps the most well-connected woman in Renaissance Italy, Isabella d'Este was the patron of Leonardo da Vinci. At some point she commissioned him to paint her portrait. She is well known as Leonardo's muse, and her portraits look strikingly similar to his best-known piece, hanging in the Louvre today.

Michelangelo was introduced to his patron Lorenzo by his sculpting teacher. The 15-year-old, who would later go on to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, moved into the palace of his patron in 1490. In addition to giving him housing, Lorenzo provided the teenager with a stipend and gave his dad a job as a house clerk. Michelangelo was raised among Lorenzo’s children and nephews, two of whom later became Popes (Leo X and Clement VII). It is a boon to grow up in proximity to the powerful: both men later employed the artist for various projects around the Vatican.

Queen Elizabeth was a patron of Shakespeare, England’s most famous playwright. In fact, the Queen was a devoted fan of the theatre and a generous supporter of Shakespeare’s work. In return, he immortalized the virgin Queen in his works, most notably as the “fair vestal throned by the West” in A Midsummer-Night’s Dream.

But what about patronage in today’s modern world?

Beyoncé is certainly no equivalent to Shakespeare; nevertheless, Pepsi recently entered into a $50 million deal with the artist which includes a “creative content development fund” for Beyoncé’s various endeavors. Again, estimates say that Beyoncé earns about $40 million a year, so it’s not a traditional patron/artist relationship where the artist is someone who is flat broke and “starving”.

So why didn’t Pepsi just pay her to shake her booty in a Pepsi commercial? The thinking from Pepsi is that, as a patron, it’s more about letting the artist pursue creative endeavors from the constraints of the industry.

In this instance, Pepsi is the true fan.

Beyoncé said to The New York Times, “Pepsi embraces creativity and understands that artists evolve. As a businesswoman, this allows me to work with a lifestyle brand with no compromise and without sacrificing my creativity.” In return for their generosity, the soda brand has already announced they will put the singer’s face on a series of limited edition soda cans and that she will appear in a new television ad.

But what about you as a content creator today? The artist or musician or author or video-maker or comic book writer, or whatever type of content you create? Why can’t you get a patron to help you continue your work? It certainly sounds like a better option than selling ads or just flat-out asking for money doesn’t it?

Today things have changed. The patrons of the past were usually powerful rulers and wealthy people using patronage of the arts to support their political and social positions in society. But now patronage comes in the form of individuals who can collectively support your work together through the power of technology and social reach.

The modern patron is your new true fan

Jack Conte was a struggling musician who was having trouble getting noticed by the big record labels. Like most artists Jack put his heart and soul into his content, yet was unable to find successful ways to get the word out and also hopefully make a few bucks to support his work. What Jack knew he could do was keep creating content and use the power of YouTube to get it in front of people. So he started a band called Pomplamoose and began posting music videos online for anyone to see.

Within a few months the videos got millions of views and were being shared by hundreds of thousands of people, all without the “help” of a record label or publicist or agent. Fast-forward a year later and Jack’s band is getting hired by automobile manufacturers to create music for television advertisements, which then lead to more paid work being thrown their way, effectively creating an income stream for them.

Now, years later Jack started a company called Patreon.com[1] which gives content creators the ability to enlist their fans as patrons of their work. Here’s an example that might just blow your mind. Nataly Dawn, Jack’s band partner, is currently using Patreon (at the time of this writing) to let 575 of her true fans give her $1,998.88 for every new video she uploads.

So let’s run the numbers here. Let’s assume, before Patreon, Nataly would produce 3 new videos every month for her fans. Because of her fan’s patronage she would now make $5,996,64 a month for doing what she wants and has already been doing. But now she’s earning a living from it. 

Zach Weinersmith is a comic book creator who is using Patreon to support his work to the tune of 2922 patrons who are supporting him for $7,861 worth of comics sent to them every month. Effectively, that means that 2922 people are now true fans on his platform, helping support him with a paycheck of almost $8,000 per month, or a yearly stipend of $94,332.

Tom Merritt does a podcast called the Daily Tech News Show. Currently 3,554 patrons support him with $10,249.06 per month, helping him produce his show daily and earning him a nice yearly salary of $122,998 and 72 cents per year. As Tom states on his page…

“I have done more than 2,000 episodes of daily tech news. I love telling people the stories they need to know with the insight and context to understand what it means. I love working with the audience to make the show better. If you want that kind of show too please consider pitching in. If everybody in the audience gave a nickel a show, that's $1 a month, the show is solid. Give 25 cents a show, or $5 a month, and the show can really grow and get better. Plus the people who can't even afford the nickel don't have to feel bad. This is only one way to help. Sending in reports, telling others about the show, just listening and emailing are other ways if you can't afford a nickel. But if you can, I hope you'll consider backing me here. Thanks for helping us make a great show.”

The modern patron can truly be the way that any content creator can make a living from their passion, without selling out to advertisements and sponsorships.

The previous system is collapsing all around us. Now, more than ever, as a content creator you must find ways to Go Direct!! Grab a free copy of my book at www.godirectbook.com.

[1] https://patreon.com/